


A Promise I Made

by Yesimawriter



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Tangled (2010) Fusion, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Flower Crowns, Flynn Rider Damen, Inspired by Tangled (2010), M/M, POV Damen (Captive Prince), POV Laurent (Captive Prince), Prince Damianos, Rapunzel Laurent, Tangled AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:15:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28898001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yesimawriter/pseuds/Yesimawriter
Summary: When the crown disappears from the palace of Akielos, Prince Damianos sets off alone to find it. He does not expect to get lost deep into the forest, or to find a tower in the middle of it.(A Tangled AU with a Twist.)
Relationships: Damen & Kastor (Captive Prince), Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince), Laurent & Regent (Captive Prince)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have been waiting for years to write for this fandom! I never wrote for it because I knew I couldn't possibly replicate Pacat's writing style. But now I'm finally confident enough to write for it. I hope you all enjoy this fic. It's my first for this fandom.
> 
> (I think I'll be updating the chapters on a weekly/bi-weekly basis.)

Laurent leaned against the window, staring out of it as the winds surrounded him, blowing his hair back. Greenery surrounded the tower that entrapped Laurent, and beyond that stretched the forest as far as the eye could see.

A green chameleon appeared on the windowsill beside Laurent. Opening up his palm in front of it, Laurent watched as it skittered up to his shoulder.

“Pascal,” Laurent said, offering the chameleon a biscuit. “You are late.”

Pascal ate the biscuit and moved back to Laurent’s shoulder. Laurent pushed away from the window and walked over to the cupboard. He pulled out two maps from a compartment hidden beneath the cupboard.

“We still have plenty of places to search from. It could be anywhere,” Laurent said. He sat down on a chair, eyes on the maps. Pascal climbed down Laurent’s shoulder onto the table where Laurent had spread the two maps side by side.

Laurent’s gaze raked over the maps, skipping over the areas circled in red, crossed out in black, and came to rest on the locations shaded in green. He pointed to those areas, hand hovering over both the maps.

“This is where we need to go Pascal.” Laurent said. Pascal walked over and stood on the shaded green areas. “Where shall we go first?”

Raising a foot lazily into the air, Pascal landed it on a specific patch of land with finality.

Laurent raised a brow at the peculiar creature. “I suppose this is where we must go then.”

A sharp whistle cut through the air the next second. Laurent and Pascal turned to the window in alarm. Pascal hid from view as Laurent folded his maps and kept them in their place. Another whistle blew and was cut off when Laurent leaned his head out of the window.

“What took you so long?” The Regent asked. He often came to visit Laurent, when he had time to spare from his duties at the palace. “Come now, be a good boy and throw your uncle a rope.”

Laurent did as he was told. He pulled the rope up until he spotted his uncle’s head emerging from the window. The Regent caught his breath before he closed the distance between himself and Laurent.

He caressed Laurent’s cheek lightly. “You’ve grown. You’re taller than I remember.” The Regent said. “You have begun to forget your uncle haven’t you? You do not seem grateful for the gift that I have given you.”

Laurent shook his head as his uncle gripped his jaw. That would certainly leave a bruise later.

“No, Uncle. I’m sorry I took so long to respond, Uncle. It will not happen again. I am profoundly grateful to you.” Laurent spoke.

The Regent let go of Laurent’s jaw and took a step back. Laurent’s knuckles twitched with the urge to touch his jaw, to wipe his uncle’s fingerprints from his face.

“Good,” said the Regent. He sat down on the chair that had been occupied by Laurent before. “Now, tell me. What would you like me to get you for your birthday?”

With his fists clenched at his sides, Laurent spoke cautiously. “You know what I want.”

The wooden chair clattered to the floor as the Regent abruptly stood up. “Laurent, I cannot give it to you.” said the Regent. His tone of voice carried with it a warning and a threat.

“Then take me with you to the palace,” Laurent said. He struggled to keep his voice calm and controlled. If he acted like a petulant child, his uncle would treat him and punish him as such.

“That is not possible either, Laurent.” The Regent said, louder than necessary. “You know why you must stay locked up here. I have told you numerous times that it is safer for you to stay here than to go frolicking outside. Nobody can know about you. They will only want to take advantage of you.”

 _Aren’t you taking advantage of me too?_ “But why?” Laurent asked. His voice cracked.

“Because the outside world is a dark and dangerous place. The people that stay there will only cause you hurt and pain.”

Laurent gritted his teeth, hard.

The Regent began to walk back to the window. “I will get you your favourite flowers, then. Orange lilies.”

Laurent only loosened his jaw after the Regent disappeared from view.

* * *

It had been more than 24 hours since the crown had disappeared from the palace. Prince Damianos of Akielos could not keep pacing his room for however long it took his men to find it. Kastor had assured him that their men were doing all they could to find it. Damen would need it for his ascension to the throne.

The palace physician had confirmed King Theomedes’ worsening health. He had told Damen in confidence that it would not be long until the king’s death. Kastor had not been present when the physician had spoken to Damen. The crown had been reported missing the next day.

Damen knew that if the crown were not found within the week, chaos would ensue. The careful order that had been preserved in court by Damen and Kastor since their father had fallen ill, would crumble. Damen did not know if there would be any pieces of his kingdom left to pick up afterwards.

He could not sit still and watch as his kingdom perished. Damianos rode out of the palace on his horse with the sun setting behind him.

Stars twinkled in the sky and the moon shone high above the tower Damen stood in front of. It was a tall, brick structure and Damen estimated that it would take him a good 15 minutes to climb it.

There was no need to climb it. Damen could always go back to the palace and admit to his failure of searching for the crown. His horse was nowhere to be seen. Having fled at the first signs of thorned plants and thick shrubbery, it had left Damen all alone in the midst of a deep forest with a giant tower as his only possible shelter.

Damen could walk back on foot. He knew he would not get tired before he reached civilization. Still. This tower, it seemed too conveniently placed, in the middle of nowhere. It was isolated enough for no one to ever reach it and hidden enough that no one would ever find it.

The crown could be inside the tower. It wouldn’t hurt Damen to climb up inside and look for it. There appeared to be no other entrances or exits. No doors, just a window situated high up in the tower. Damen began his climb.

Fifteen minutes later, he was inside. It was dark. Damen could not even see shapes. He was beginning to regret his decision to enter the tower when something hard, heavy, and metallic collided with the side of his head. Pain exploded throughout Damen’s head as he fell.

The last thing he felt was outstretched arms catching him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I realise that I made a mistake the last time. This is a multi-chapter fic.

Damen was gagged and bound to a chair. He blinked to clear his vision. He could not pinpoint the direction of the light that spilled into the tower, but he could guess that its source was the window.

As Damen’s vision cleared, he spotted blond hair shining like gold, fair skin, and eyes bluer than the sky. Damen could wax poetic about the man standing in front of him. There was a familiarity about him that bothered Damen. He had met this man before; he was sure of it.

“Why are you here? What do you want?” The man asked. Damen did not know what disturbed him more, the chameleon on the man’s shoulder that was giving him a deathly glare, or the fact that this man was using Damen’s own sword to threaten him.

He was certain this man did not know who he was, so Damen supposed he could be excused for treating him this way. The gag was pulled roughly from Damen’s mouth, allowing him to speak.

“I am—” Damen started to say.

“I know who you are,” the man interrupted without a hint of hesitation. “I want to know what you are doing here, _Prince Damianos of Akielos_.”

This managed to silence Damen successfully for a few moments. The man knew who he was, and yet, Damen remained restrained to the chair. He had to find a way to escape.

“I came here in search of something.” Damen said. He tried to pull at the ropes, but they did not budge. They had been expertly tied; it would be impossible to get free of them. “May I know your name, good sir?”

The tip of Damen’s sword pressed against his Adam’s apple. The man did not seem satisfied by Damen’s response or eager to answer his question.

“No, you may not. What have you come here in search of?” The man’s blue eyes stared intensely at Damen.

“A crown,” Damen said. “It went missing more than 24 hours ago, and I fear that if we do not find it soon…” _Bad things might happen. Like the destruction of our entire kingdom, at the hands of our people._

The man raised an eyebrow at Damen and leaned casually against a table. “What if I told you that I knew a way to help you get back your crown? How would you repay me, then?”

“I would give you whatever you wanted,” Damen responded without thinking. He regretted it as soon as a smirk made its way onto the man’s lips.

“Whatever I wanted?” The man muttered to himself, or maybe to the chameleon on his shoulder that still hadn’t taken its eyes off of Damen. Then, he glanced at Damen. “Very well, I shall need your help with something.”

Damen blinked at him. “I’m willing to help you with anything you need, as long as I get my crown back.”

“You will—” the man said, his fingers lightly tracing Damen’s sword “—get your crown back. But first, you will help me find what _I_ want.”

Damen swallowed heavily before narrowing his eyes. “How do I know that you’re not bluffing? That you can actually help me find my crown?”

The man smiled. “Because, my barbarian prince, I know who stole it from you.”

* * *

Laurent watched the man in front of him carefully. He observed the ease with which a multitude of expressions slid across the man’s face, and almost marveled at their openness.

“How do you know that? And what exactly is it that you want from me?” Prince Damianos asked.

Laurent shrugged and stepped towards Damianos. With a graceful slide of his wrists, a move he had practiced more than a thousand times although he would never tell that to a soul, Laurent used the sword that he held to cut the rope binding Damianos’ legs. Then, walking behind him, Laurent used the sword again, to free Damianos’ arms.

It was the last thing he had wanted to do, but Laurent had no other choice. He would need Damianos for his plan to work. After that, Laurent would complete his part of their bargain and give Damianos what he wanted. Then he would never have to lay his eyes on the prince ever again.

“You will find out when the time is right,” Laurent said. He kept the sword in its sheathe and tied it around his waist. He turned to Pascal, giving the chameleon a light rub on its head. “You will have to stay here, Pascal. Guard the tower for me, yes?”

Pascal gave a slight frown, in clear disagreement with Laurent, but did as he said.

“Thank you,” Laurent spoke softly to Pascal. Then he went to the cupboard to empty the hidden compartment beneath it, putting all of his belongings into his backpack in a neat, orderly manner.

After Laurent had double checked that he had everything he needed, he proceeded towards the window. Turning to face Damianos just slightly, he spoke, “Have you changed your mind already?”

“No, not yet” Damianos said, determinedly. Laurent was about to make his way out of the window when Damianos grabbed a hold of his arm. Quite a bad decision on his part if Laurent was honest, really. “May I know your name before we depart, my friend?”

Laurent had Damianos’ sword out of it’s sheath and grazing his neck as warning before either of them could blink. “We are not _friends_ , merely forced acquaintances. And my name is… _Charls._ ”

Damianos stared at Laurent for longer than necessary. “Charls,” he said. “Forced acquaintances,” he added. “Alright then.”

Laurent tied one end of the rope he had acquired securely to Damianos’ waist. “Stay,” he said. Then he gathered up the other end of the rope, balancing himself on the edge of the windowsill as he threw it down.

When it reached the ground, he quickly and expertly descended the tower, relaxing only when his feet hit the grass. Tugging at the rope, not too gently, Laurent gave Damianos the signal to follow his lead.

Laurent’s rope came tumbling down as Damianos began to abseil the tower the same way he had climbed it. At first, Laurent watched him, then he decided to look down at the grass beneath his own feet.

He sat down in the grass, gently letting his hands touch the tips of their blades. Plucking a few flowers from their stems, he began to make daisy chains out of them. Laurent was so engrossed in his task that he forgot all about Damianos.

He did not see Damianos jump onto the ground or hear the resounding thud that followed. He did not notice the awe in Damianos’ features as he watched Laurent or the realization that followed after.

Laurent only heard Damianos’ voice calling out to him, tentatively. “…Laurent?” He heard footsteps coming closer and tensed up. As a shadow fell across him, he heard Damianos ask, “Is that really you?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So apparently real life is a thing, and it called. But I still managed to finish this chapter! It's comparatively short but a lot is revealed, and it made sense to end it where I did. So I hope you enjoy it.

Laurent stood up suddenly, his daisy chain falling from his lap. Damianos stepped forward and had his hand out in a flash, catching the daisy chain tenderly in his grasp. He brought it close to his face before looking at Laurent.

“It really is you, Laurent. Isn’t it?” Damianos asked. Rage boiled within Laurent at the audacity of him. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in—?”

“No!” Laurent pushed Damianos away with all of his strength. “You do not get to do this! You do not get to show concern or worry or _anything_ for me. You lost that privilege when you took their lives!”

Damianos’ eyes widened as he swallowed. He took a cautious step towards Laurent. “Laurent…”

“No.” Laurent said and looked away. “You don’t get to apologise. Not for this. Not when everything that has happened, has happened because of you.”

“Laurent.” Damianos reached out to Laurent, but Laurent deliberately flinched away from his touch, taking a step back.

“Don’t call me that! You promised me. You promised you would keep them safe, and now they are dead.” Laurent said. Tears threatened to spill through his eyes. He took a deep breath and blinked them back.

Damianos stared at Laurent. “What can I do? Is there anything I can do to…? Because, Laurent, I would do _anything_ —”

“Die,” Laurent said, before turning to stride away from him. He wiped the sleeve of his shirt against his eyes and quickened his pace.

He did not look back to ensure that Damianos was following him, he did not have to. Damianos’ footsteps, light as they were, could be heard by Laurent, and his shadow still fell over Laurent, sheltering him from the morning heat and the sun. If nothing else, Laurent was grateful for that at least.

“Where are we going?” Damianos asked at last. Laurent was slightly relieved to hear his voice. It meant that he had not mysteriously wandered off or died in the short amount of time that they had been walking. It also meant that Damianos’ irritating habit of wanting to constantly talk his way through silences, hadn’t changed.

“To a place with people who can help,” Laurent answered. Very helpfully, he might add. “With your crown situation, that is.”

Laurent regretted saying anything at all in the next moment because Damianos seemed to perk up at his response, closing the distance between them.

“So, you’re helping me find the crown?” He asked, his tone hopeful.

“Are you deaf, or just dumb? Did I not tell you that I would help you if you helped me?” Laurent asked acidly.

“You did, but that was before…” Damianos’ voice tapered off as he looked over at Laurent. Laurent realised that he had frozen in his place.

He forced himself to relax and _breathe_. He could do this. He needed Damianos’ help. Damianos had an infinite number of resources at his service. Laurent would need those resources soon.

Taking a deep breath, Laurent continued his stride.

* * *

Damen watched Laurent walk in front of him. He wanted to say something to make all of the awkwardness and the tension in the air disappear, but just as he opened his mouth to say something, Laurent stopped in his tracks. Damen automatically reached for his sword before realizing that Laurent had it now.

Rolling his shoulders and clenching his hands into fists, Damen quickly went to stand in front of Laurent. He did not need a weapon to defend himself and Laurent against their enemies. But there was no one standing in front of them.

“What are you doing?” Laurent asked. Damen blinked and turned to Laurent, only to catch a familiar expression on his face. It was one that said, ‘you must be the stupidest man on this planet’. Was it stupider of Damen, then, to think about how much he had missed that expression on that particular face?

“Why did you stop?” Damen asked, instead.

Laurent rolled his eyes and moved away from Damen. Straightening up a little, he let out a sharp whistle that made Damen’s ears ring. Damen almost missed the clip-clopping sounds of a horse until it stood right in front of him. He glanced over at Laurent reflexively.

“You seem to have lost your horse while trying to reach the tower, so I had no choice but to call for mine,” Laurent explained. He looked at his horse as he spoke.

Damen decided to look at it too. It was majestic. A white horse with a pale, blond mane. It seemed quite intelligent, and also as though it might snap Damen in half if he so much as breathed wrongly in its direction. In fact, if Laurent were to ever take on the form of a horse, Damen was certain he would look exactly like this one.

“Good boy, Maximus,” Laurent said, patting the horse’s side. Taking an apple out of his bag, he stepped close enough to Maximus to feed him.

Maximus snorted in pleasure before biting into the apple. Laurent threw the apple core behind him after Maximus had finished eating it and proceeded to get on the horse. He threw Damen an irritated look when Damen continued to stand still, just staring at Laurent.

“Does _‘Your Majesty’_ need an invitation to get on the horse? Or shall I beg and plead at your feet?” Laurent spoke. Damen blinked and shuffled forward, getting on the horse behind Laurent.

Laurent waited for a beat, letting Damen shift into a comfortable position, before urging his horse to move. “Let’s go, Max.”

Damen found himself ignoring his gut instinct and speaking up again. “Where are we going, Laurent?”

He felt Laurent tensing up in response, before reluctantly answering the question. “We’re going to the Snuggly Duckling.”


End file.
